If you are the owner of a PC created by Dell, Alienware, Falcon Northwest or another PC maker and have that new AGEIA physics card inside, you finally have a game to use for it with the release of the AGEIA supported PC version of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter this week. Another AGEIA supported game, the RTS title Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends, ships to stores next week and more games (including Unreal Tournament 2007) are due for release in the months to come. With the first AGEIA games now showing up, the first add-on cards due out later this month and E3 coming next week, FiringSquad decided to contact AGEIA to get an update on their business and their PR department supplied us with some answers.

FiringSquad: First, the first AGEIA cards are being put into PC makers like Alienware and Dell. So far can you tell us about the response?

AGEIA: The response has been tremendous. Starting with Dell announcing they had completely sold out of their special-edition XPS Renegade systems - where the AGEIA PhysX card is installed by default - to reports from Dell and Alienware on sales of other systems with PhysX included being extremely positive. Beyond that, we've been most excited by the many complimentary comments and reviews we've seen thus far from the press and gamers.

FiringSquad: Are the first add-in cards still set for release in May?

AGEIA: Yes, cards from BFG and Asus will be available in just a matter of weeks now!

FiringSquad: The first games that use the AGEIA card (Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Rise of Legends) are set for release in May. What can people with those cards expect with physics effects?

AGEIA: While the PhysX features in use across different games will vary depending on the style and genre, the sense of realism and level of immersion gamers will feel with PhysX is palpable. Whenever objects in the game world don't quite act or respond as you'd expect, it takes you out of the experience. The AGEIA PhysX Processor enhances already incredible games like Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, and Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends (with many more to come); and as developers get even more familiar with the capabilities, you can expect the PhysX experience to be even more compelling in the future.

FiringSquad: What will AGEIA be showing off at E3 this year?

AGEIA: E3 is all about amazing content and AGEIA's focus is on showcasing available and forthcoming game titles that are powered by PhysX. In addition, we'll be emphasizing our hardware partners and availability of the AGEIA PhysX Accelerator add-in boards and PC-systems.

FiringSquad: Will there be any special AGEIA events at their booth this year?

AGEIA: Yes. We're very excited to be running a "PhysX Fragfest" featuring the game CellFactor as a focal point of our E3 booth. We're offering prizes including PhysX add-in cards to winners every day at the show. CellFactor really showcases PhysX action and being able to take out opponents with just the power of physics makes for innovative and highly entertaining gameplay. We encourage gamers to visit our booth and sign up, with fragfests running every 45 minutes and lots of great games to play around the booth in-between.

FiringSquad: Since March there has been a ton of press releases with more games and developers supporting the card. Is this an indication that more developers are starting to look at advanced physics effects for their games?

AGEIA: Over the last year (since AGEIA first announced PhysX), we've seen a lot of industry focus on advanced physics as a differentiator for next generation games. As providers of the only dedicated hardware physics accelerator for the PC available today we're simply fulfilling the needs of developers who are looking to push the envelope in their titles and truly make it real. Now that the AGEIA PhysX Accelerator is available to gamers, we see broader and deeper adoption of the technology in games accelerating too, with over one hundred titles already in development from over sixty partners.

FiringSquad: Are there any plans to perhaps release a lower cost AGEIA physics card with less memory?

AGEIA: Currently we have only the one SKU as we are launching a completely new PC technology. Over time we do expect that like any technology, there will be options both at the low end and high end, dependent on market demands.

FiringSquad: Finally is there anything else you wish to say about AGEIA at E3?

AGEIA: We really see E3 and the month of May as a coming-out party for the AGEIA PhysX Processor, with availability of products from our all our announced hardware partners while our content partners are showcasing amazing PhysX games. It's really a celebration of the start of something truly revolutionary and we're inviting everyone to join in the fun at our booth.

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